Metal end structure for freight cars



l 1924. Apr! 22 v.' E. slssoN METAL END STRUCTURE FOR FREIGHT CARS Filed001;. 1, 19'20 2 Sheets-Sheet l FlGll April 22 1924.

V. E. SISSON METAL END STRUCTURE FOR FREIGHT CARS 2 Sheets-Shet 2 FiledOct. 1

FIG. 2

FIG.3

FIG. 4

512m 2E9)" 952% 635011 2 7 4.! M

AYE/72g FIG. 5

atented Apr. 22, 1924,

s'rrss VINTON' E. SISSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WALTER 1P.MFR-FEE, F

' CHICAGO,

sic

ILLINOIS.

METAL END STRUCTURE FOB; FREIGHT CABS.

Application filed October 1, 1920. Serial No. 4,055.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VrNroN E. SIssoN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Metal End Structures for FreightCars,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements w in end structures for railwaycars and more particularly to sheet metal ends for freight cars.

The end of a freight car is subject to very severe shocks and stresseson account of the tendency of the cargo to shift when the train startsand stops and in switching and also to the tendency of thesuperstructure of the car to weave while the train is in motion. Tostrengthen this type of car, ends have been constructed of one or moresheets or panels of metal, usually steel, which sheets or panels areformed with corrugations for rigidifying the structure to more readilymeet impacts "from without, cargo thrusts from within, and the rackingstrains from weaving. i

It is the object of this invention to provide an end of the sheet metaltype which is adaptable to either wooden car 30 frames or all metalfreight cars and that may be employed for strengtheninggondola cars, boxcars, or other similar cars. It is a further object of this invention toprovide the sheets or panels of the end with corrugations of particularcontour that from their form and length are peculiarly adapted to meetthe stresses and strains already described. While the corrugations arepreferably formed parallel, their to relation to each other or theirdirection is immaterial, likewise the corrugations may be all pressedfrom one side of the sheet of metal or may be formed from oppositesides, as desired.

While the preferred form of this invention is illustrated upon theaccompanying sheets of drawings, yet it is to be understood that minordetail changes may be made 7 without departing from the scope thereof.

In the drawing;

, Figure 1 is a view in end elevation of a box car illustrating anembodiment of this invention. J

Figure 2 is a view in horizontal section.

through the end taken on the line 2-201 Figure 1, illustrating theattachment of the end to a car having a wooden frame.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 illustrating the attachment ofthe endto an all metal box car.

Figure 1- is an enlarged detail view in vertical section taken on theline l4i of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail View of a fragment of the corner of anend sheet or panel. I i 3 Figure 6 is an enlarged detail sectional viewtaken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5', looking in the direction of thearrows, with the partsbeyond the line shownpartly in perspective andpartly in section.

The box car end, as illustrated, comprises two or more sheets or panels1, preferably of pressed steel, which are attached to the corner posts,end plate and end sill in the usual manner. Figure 2 illustrates a meansof attaching the panels to the wooden corner posts 2 by flanging ends ofthe panels and securing the flanges to the posts, while Figure 3illustrates the attachment to an all metal car in which the corner posts3 are usually in the form of angle irons which secure the end in themanner shown.

A plurality of parallel strengthening corrugations are formed in eachpanel 1 and merged at their ends into the plane of the panel so that thepanel has a fiat marginal portion about its edges. I

The sectional viewoi Figure 4 shows the particular construction of thecorrugations comprising flat main walls asubstantially at right anglesto the plane of the panel, connected by supplemental walls 5 parallel tothe plane of the panel which might be said to be corrugated as theymerge at each end into the adjacent ends of the main walls on the arcsof circles of equal radii which are tangental to the main walls and thecentral portion is depressed on the arc of a circle presenting a concavesurface the ends of which are tangential to the end arcs forming areverse curve therewith. The neutral axis'of a corrugated panel, such asillustrated in Fig. 4, lies betweenthe extremities of supplemental walls55. In my con struction the main walls 4 are spaced equal distancesapart and the supplemental walls 25 all have the same eorifiguration sothat the neutral axis lies exactly midway between the extremitiesofsupplemental walls 5. This is a material advantage when the panel ismade of iron or steel because these metals are equal in tensile andcompressive strength, therefore, a panel having its neutral axis in itsgeometrical center produces a balanced beam and gives the maximumstrength for the minimum amount of material. The corrugations arecontinuous and extend alternately from opposite sides of the neutralaxis of the panel, with the supplemental walls of greater width, incross section, than the width of theinain walls.

A wooden end lining 6 is preferably provided on the inner side of theend and a plurality of filler blocks 7 are received within and attachedto a number of the corrugations, as shown, to which the wooden lining isnailed. The width of each corrugation is preferably constant throughoutits length and the depth also preferably remains constant throughout thegreater part but gradually diminishes at each end until the corrugationmerges into the plane of the panel, as shown in Figures 5 and 6.

In theory, the ideal form of corrugation for this purpose would haveflat main walls extending at right angles to the plane of the panel ashaving the greatest strength to resist the stresses imposedon car ends.In practice, in pressing corrugations from a panel by dies, it is verydificult to form the main walls in this relation. In the corrugationillustrated, from its peculiar contour, it is possible to form the mainwalls Asubstantially at right angles to the plane-of the panel. Themajority of impacts received by the end of a car are from within and arecaused by shifting ofthe cargo. The cargo thrusts are first received onthe wooden lining 6 of the end and as this lining is continuous and'isin contact with the supplemental wallsof the corrugations, the thrustswill be transmitted from the lining 6-through the end curved portions ofthe rcversely curved concave supueniental walls 5 and distributedthrough the main walls 4 which, as above said, are most advantageouslyarranged to meet such stresse.

Furthermore, should a panel-in which the corrugations are formed withflat mainand supplemental Walls substantially at right angles to eachother receive a sudden impact of great force, suchas often occurs in ashift of cargo, the panel will bend outward'in the direction of the blowon account of the resiliency or spring action of the bend at thejointure of the main and supplemental walls and will remainsubstantially in the bulged position. In the corrugations formed withthe concave or reversely curved supplemental Walls, as contemplatedin'this invention, there will be greater resilience between the'wallsso-that the panel as a whole ins ore will be more resilient and can givemore without breaking than the other "form and having bulged on accountof a blow will more readily and more nearly return to its normal plans.

What Iclaim is:

1. A metal panel for car ends having a plurality of corrugations thereinformed with the main walls substantially flat and at rightangles to theplane of the panel and with concaved supplemental walls.

2. A metal panel for car ends having a plurality of corrugationsformedtherein, with the main walls of the corrugations formedsubstantially at right angles to the plane of the panel, and havingcompound curved portions connecting said walls.

3. is. metal panel for car ends having a plurality of corrugations ofconstant width throughout their length formed therein, said corrugationshaving main walls formed substantially at right angles to the plane ofthe panel and concave supplemental walls connected by curved portions tothe main walls.

LA metal panel 101 car ends having a plurality of corrugations ofconstant width throughout their length formed therein, said corrugationshaving main walls formed substantially at right angles to the plane ofthe panel, concave supplemental walls, and curved tangential portionsconnecting said main and supplemental walls.

5. A metalpanel for car ends having a plurality of corrugations ofconstant width throughout their length and merged into the panel at theends with the main walls of the corrugations formed substantially atright angles to the plane of the-panel and concave supplemental walls ofgreater length than the main walls.

6. A. metal panel for car ends having a plurality of corrugations formedon alternate sides of the neutral axis of the panel andhaving flat mainwalls formed substantially at right angles to the plane of the panelconnected by compound curved supplemental walls, the end curves of whichare tangent to the main walls.

'7. A metal panel for car ends having a plurality of corrugations formedon alternate sides of the neutral axis ofthe panel and having main wallsformed substantially fiat and at right angles to the plane of the panel,and having reversely curved portions connecting said walls, the width ofthe corrugations exceeding the depth.

8. A metal panel for car ends comprising plurality of walls spaced equaldistances apart and positioned substantially perpendicular to the planeof the panel, said walls connected by concaved supplemental walls.

9. A metal panel for car ends comprising a plurality of walls spacedequal distances apart and positioned substantially perpendicular to theplane of the panel, said walls connected by compound curved portions.

11. A metal panel for car ends compris ing a plurality of wallspositioned substanl0 tially vertically to the plane of the panel andspaced equal distances apart, said Walls connected by compound curvedportions, said Walls decreasing in Width so that said compound curvedportions mergeinto the 15 panel. a

VINTON SISSON.

